Translanguaging ‘Cues’
The following section considers what is meant be translanguaging cues.
Translanguaging cues is a pedagogical practice which can help both emergent
and proficient bilinguals to complete translanguaging tasks. Baker (2006:
304) refers to ‘task scaffolds’ which ‘may give directions (e.g. on cue cards)
as to steps through a task’. Similarly translanguaging cues may assist the
pupil to navigate through the translanguaging task by indicating the lan-
guage medium for different activities. The teacher models the translanguag-
ing activity and offers cues (either orally, in written form or both) for the
different language mediums undertaken during the translanguaging activity.
The following example of translanguaging cues was seen in a Geography
lesson about ‘migration’ with Year 12 pupils (16 –17 years old) in a designated
Welsh medium School. All 16 pupils were fluent in Welsh and English.
Figure 7.3 shows how the teacher presented ‘translanguaging cues’ to the
Year 12 pupils (16–17 years) in a Geography lesson. The teacher read instruc-
tions which were displayed on a PowerPoint slide. Pupils in pairs/threes were
asked to read about migration models (in English). The pupils were told that
they had to understand the theories involved (by Zelinsky, Ravenstein, and
Lee) and discuss ways of explaining the theory in a clear and succinct way,
orally in Welsh, to the rest of the class. The pupils had to decide which infor-
mation was most relevant for their own PowerPoint presentation (the teacher
reminded them that this task would be completed and presented to the rest
of the class in Welsh). The teacher finally told the pupils to prepare informa-
tion handouts (in Welsh) for all class members to accompany the PowerPoint
presentation.
Figure 7.4 is the authors’ translation (into English) of the teacher’s trans-
languaging cues.
164 Part 4: Bilingual Education
TASG BLW YDDYN 12- Mewn pâr/tri.
- Darllen am fodel mudo (Saesneg).
- Deall y ddamcaniaeth.
- Meddwl sut i egluro’r ddamcaniaeth mewn Cymraeg syml
sy’n ddealladwy a chlir i weddill y dosbarth. - Penderfynu pa wybodaeth sydd fwyaf perthnasol.
- Cynllunio sioe PowerPoint ar bapur.
- Creu y sioe PowerPoint.
- Cyflwyno eich model i’r dosbarth.
- Darparu taflenni gwybodaeth i bob aelod o’r dosbarth.
Figure 7.3 Teacher’s translanguaging cues given to the pupils